Medical electrode



E. A. PIAR MEDICAL ELECTRODE April 3,. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1948 INVENTOR. flA/IER A. p/AQ April 3, 1951 E. A. PIAR 2,547,041

MEDICAL ELECTRODE Filed May 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L, 4 S42 i Y 43 3 4 52 6 Q, C555 E510 Fm. 11 H2. 12

1N VEN TOR.

iatented Apr. 3, 195i UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE MEDICAL ELECTRODE Elmer A. Piar, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 12, 1948, Serial No. 26,599

This invention relates to electro-surgical apparatus and particularly to apparatus for the mechano-electrolytical stimulation of hair growth on the human scalp. A

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved medical electrode for use with non-pulsating low voltage, high amperage galvanic current that will dissect the non-cellular tissues that cover the skin without causing a flow of blood.

Another object is to provide a device of the type stated that will remove such non-cellular tissue so that the sudoriierous and subaceous glands may again function normally and allow the hair follicles to reproduce hair.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims together with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are referred to and indicated by like reference characters and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled apparatu showing the control cabinet and the electrodes associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a front view of the handle of the medical electrode;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of the Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end view of the handle taken in the directionof the arrows 4-4 of the Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a bottom View of an electrode operating head of the unitary type having fixed cutting edges;

Figure 6 is a top view of the same;

Figure 7 is an end view of the same;

Figure 8 is a front view of an assembled medical electrode of the type havin replaceable cutting blades;

Figure 9 is a right end view of the assembled electrode shown in the Figure 8 with the handle broken away; 7

Figure 10 is a plan view of the unassembled body member;

Figure 11 is a front view of one of the guide members;

Figure 12 is an end view of the unassembled body members; and I Figure 13 is a front view of one of the electrode cutting blades.

Referring to Figure 1 there is seen a device made in accordance with this invention. Reference character indicates a cabinet which houses twosources of direct current and the controls therefor. One source being a set of dry 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-303.14)

batteries rated at 4 /2 volts, and the other being a conventional electronic-tube full-wave rectifier 3!. The rectifier permits the use of 110 volt 60 cycle alternating current to operate the device. The alternating current is converted and i nected to the first terminal of the switch 24. The

second terminal of the switch 24' is connected to one of the end terminals of the potentiometer 28. The center terminal of the potentiometer is in turn connected to one terminal of the milliammeter $9. This meter should have a 0 to 5 milliampere range. The second terminal of the meter 39 is connected to the first coil-terminal of a DArsonval type relay 2'). The second coilterminal of the relay is connected to the negative binding post 23. The relay 2! has its switch mechanism connected to the pilot light 28 and the pilot light battery 29, which is a single 1% volt dry cell. Dotted lines are used to indicate the wired connections. The rectifier 3| is plugged into a source of alternating current by means of the plug 33. The positive side of the rectified current is connected to the second end terminal of the potentiometer 26 which is in turn connected to the positive binding post 22. The negative side of the rectified current is connected to the switch 32 which is in turn connected to the first end terminal of the potentiometer 26 as is shown in the Figure 1.

The medical electrode 40 is connected to the negative binding post 23 by means of a flexible cable 35 while an indifierent electrode 34 adapted to contact with the body of the patient constituting the subject to be operated on, is connected to the positive binding post 22 by means of a second flexible cable 36.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the electrode handle M which has a threaded stud 43 adapted to engage the hereafter described operating head 86. A terminal hole 52 in the other end of the handle 4| serves as a jack to receive the terminal plug 37 of the flexible cord 35 as shown inthe Figure 8. In its preferred form the handle is turned from a brass rod and has a knurled gripping surface. Since the voltages used are low the handle 4| need not be covered with insulating material.

The preferred form of head is shown in the Figures 5, 6 and '7. The head is machined from a single rectangular block of tool steel which is cut to a semicircular cross section as shown in the Figure 7. The head is approximately 1 /2 inches long and has a plurality of arcuate cutting edges 82 shaped and ground to razor-like sharpness, on its arcuate surface. These edges must be closely spaced, and in the preferred form are spaced fifteen thousandths of an inch apart. An arcuate guide surface 81 approximately A; inch wide, is formed at either end of the head 8U. This surface is ground one thousandth of an inch below the plane of the cutting edges 8 2. A threaded hole 83 on the flat upper surface of the head is adapted to receive the threaded stud 43 of the handle 4|.

A modified form of head construction is shown in the Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. In the modified form the head comprises a body. member Bil, guide members 60 and individual blade members Ill.

The body member is made from a rectan ar block of steel and has a longitudinal slot 55 in its lower side and a threaded handle hole 5} in its upper side. Reference character-52 indicates a round guide mounting hole and reference character 53 indicates an elongated guide mounting hole as'shown in theliigures lO-and 12.

The guides 69 are approximately A; inch wide and have an arcuate bearing surface 6! and a key a; shaped to fit the body slot 54. A vertical threaded mounting hole $3 is formed in the top of the key 2 while a centrally located horizontal hole 5% is drilled through the bod of the guide 60. The cutting blades is aremade from steel strip of the type used for making safety razor blades and are shaped as shown in the Figure 13 with a key 12, arcuate cutting edges 16 and a central hole 14. The edges it are ground to a razor-like fineness and all the blades 7i) must matchasto-contour and size.

The curve to which each cutting edge It is ground must havethe same center but a greater radius than the, curve of th arcuate guide bearing surfaces 5!. However. the radius of each arcuate edge 1.6 must not be more than one-half to one thousandth fqf an inch greater than the radiusfof the arcuate bearing surfac e of the guides 3.9, difference determines the depth of cut taken-by the instrument. If these limits are. eX- ceeded the efficiency of the instrument will be impaired.

The head is assembled by inserting the key. 62 02 one of the guides-60 into the body slot 54, and aligningthe keyhole 63 with the round guide mounting hole 52. The first guide is then looked in place by means of a screw 55 that passes through the body .hole '52 and engages the threaded hole .63' of the guide, key 62. The required number of cutting blades necessary to fill up the remainder of the slot after making allowances for. the second guide member are then assembled on the body member 59 with their keys 'lfiengaged with the body slot 54 as shown in the Figure .8]. The cutting edges 76 should be spaced between ten and fifteen thousandths of an inch apart. Spacers .15, of appropriate thickness, are used to give the proper spacing between cutting edges. If the spacing isless than ten thousandths of an inch. the removed tissue will -clog up the cutter head interstices, while if the spacing is greater than fifteen thousandths of an inch the blades have a tendency to gouge the skin and cause irregular tissue removal. After the required number. of blades and spacers are positioned on the body the second guide member ismounted in the body slot and a compression screw a d. h u e. dej o es a d he blade holes 14. They second guide is loosely mounted on the base by means of a second mounting screw 56 which passes through the elongated mounting hole 53 of the body 50.

The compression screw 65 is then tightened until the guides and blades form a solid compact unit after which the second mounting screw 56 is tightened which looks the cutting blades and,

guides to the body 58. With a head of this type dull blades can be replaced at will and the depth of out can be varied by using guides of different radius. The handle 4| is mounted in the handle hole 5|. The assembled medical electrode in its modified form is shown in the Figure 8.

'The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The indifferent electrode 39. is held by the patient or otherwise attached to the patients body. To operate on the' l' volt battery 25 the switch 24 .is thrown to its on position. The medical electrode til is then brought into contact with the patients scalp and the potentiometer is adjusted until the milliammeter'reads between milli-. ampere and 2 milliamperes depending upon the condition of the patients scalp. The relay 2'? is setup to close the pilot light circuit when the current passing through its activating coil ex.-

ceeds .rnilliampere, and to open the pilot light. circuit whenever the current flow exceeds two milliamperes. Therefore as long as the current flow remains between the proper limits of to '2 mi-lliamperes the pilot light 28 will glow and the meter 35 need not be constantly read. The medical electrode id is then gently passed over the scalp with the guides 60 resting on the skin. The blades it will then cutaway a thin layer of the tough non-cellular tissue covering the scalp without causing the flow of blood. The depth of cut is determined by the relative positions of the blade edges 15 and the bearing surfaces '61 ot the guides 69. .In cases having a long history of baldness the out should be one thousandth of an inch deep. In cases of recent baldness onehalf thousandth of an inch is usually sufficient. It is believed that the passing of the galvanic current from the blade edges '15 to the skin tissue creates a condition wherein the tissue fluids are decomposed at the point of contact between edges it and the skin to form hydrogen peroxide which acts as a mild disinfectant to prevent in; fection of the scalp. The removal of the overlaying .crustaceous layer of hard tissue leaves the scalp in condition favorable to the growth of new hair.

When it is desired to operate the apparatus with alternating current the battery switch .24 is returned to its off position. The plug 33 is connected to a sourcefof volt, 60 cycle current and theswitchtz is moved to. its on posi-: tion. The controls and meter readings are then adjusted the same manner-as when-operating on the battery 12 5;. a

It will now be clear that there hasbeen provideda device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has been disclosed a preferred and. modified .form; it is to be understood that the specific. .embodi-. men-ts thereof as described and illustrated here in are not to be considered in alimiting sense as there may be other formsorrnodifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within thescope of theiappended-claims.

I claim: A

1;. A medical electrode, comprisingincombina he u ant ally tangul r me li -b d membe ha n a. as; n tia ly ext ndin 5119i,

in the lower face thereof, a pair of guide members mounted in the said slot at the ends thereof, each of the said guide members having an arcuate bearing surface, a plurality of spaced metallic operating blade members mounted in the said slot between the said guide members, each of the said blades having an arcuate edge that projects below the plane of the guide member bearing surfaces, and a conducting handle mounted on the upper surface of the body member, the said handle having terminal means thereon.

2. A medical electrode, comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular metallic body member having a longitudinally extending slot in the lower face thereof, a pair of guide members mounted in the said slot at the ends thereof, each of the said guide members having an arcuate bearing surface, a plurality of metallic operating blade members, having arcuate cutting edges, mounted in the said slot between the said guide members, each of the said cutting edges being spaced fifteen thousandths of an inch apart, the arcuate surfaces of the said guide members being one thousandth of an inch below the cutting edges of the said blade members, and a conducting handle mounted on the upper surface of the body member, the said handle having terminal means thereon.

3. A medical electrode, comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular metallic body member having a longitudinally extending slot in the lower face thereof, a pair of guide members mounted in the said slot at the ends thereof, each of the said guide members having an armate bearing surface, a plurality of metallic operating blade members, having arcuate cutting edges, mounted in the said slot between the said guide members, each of the said cutting edges being spaced between ten thousandths and fifteen thousandths of an inch apart, the arcuate surfaces of the said guide members being between one-half a thousandth and one thousandth of an inch below the cutting edges of the said blade members, and a conducting handle mounted on the upper surface of the body member, the said handle having terminal means thereon.

ELMER A. PIAR.

REFERENCES GITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 602,950 Lau Apr. 26, 1898 1,099,062 Laposkey June 2, 1914 1,291,318 White Jan. 14, 1919 

